Category Russia

Oct 5 2023

Russia Tested the Alert System on the Same Day as US


Armstrong Economics Blog/International News Re-Posted Oct 5, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

It has come to my attention that both the US and Russia held emergency alert tests on Wednesday. Unlike the US, Russia performs these tests regularly. Russia is actively engaged in war, surrounded by NATO and neocons chomping at the bit to invade. Putin has been vocal about his concerns of nuclear war, and at that point, it’s likely too late. One must wonder why both nations chose the same day to run this test.

“Hearing the sound of a siren, you need to remain calm and not panic, turn on the TV—any publicly accessible channel or radio—and listen to the information message,” Russia’s Ministry of Emergency Situations (MCHS) said via its Telegram channel. The Russian government stated that the alerts are crucial “to be confident in the performance of all existing systems for the timely delivery of signals and information to the population in the event of emergency situations.” Remember that hackers managed to break into Russia’s system earlier this year. They issued a message to the public that a nuclear attack had happened and urged citizens to seek shelter.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=H86E4yt_cIQ%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Russia first tested its emergency alert system in 2020 and is required to hold tests biannually. They urge their citizens to keep their devices powered on to receive any relevant alerts. “The warning system is designed to timely convey a signal to the population in the event of a threat or emergency of a natural or man-made nature,” the Ministry of Emergency Situations said.

Most countries conduct this type of testing. It is peculiar that both Russia and America would plan their tests for the same day. Is it a coincidence or something more?

Oct 1 2023

Putin Interview 2020 Prewar


Armstrong Economics Blog/Russia Re-Posted Oct 1, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

Zelensky insisted, thanks to Victoria Nulan, that the Minsk Agreement had to be terminated to Justify his conquest of Russia.

This is why I warned Zelensky was the man who history will remember as the next Hitler for World War III

Sep 14 2023

Putin: Trump Indictments are Very Good for Russia


Armstrong Economics Blog/Politics e-Posted Sep 14, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

https://youtube.com/watch?v=B5y-jaKz1L0%3Fstart%3D30%26feature%3Doembed

When asked about the impeachment of Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin said that it is “very good” for Russia insofar as it shows America is deteriorating from within. Putin and Trump once had a mutual respect for one another, acknowledging that each leader consistently put their nation first. Everyone besides the far-left can see that Trump’s indictments are a politically motivated attempt by the current administration to deny the people a fair election. “It shows the rottenness of the US political system that can’t claim to teach others democracy,” Putin stated. “What happened to Trump is a motivated prosecution of a political rival.”

The US cannot possibly blame Russia for meddling in the next election when the current administration is blatantly arresting political opponents. The former world democracy police can no longer claim to be pious. Everyone sees what is happening, but only those not in the globalist club have spoken out.

“Imagine if this happened to a leading opposition presidential candidate here in El Salvador?” President Nayib Bukele posted to social media. “Sadly, it’ll be very hard for US Foreign Policy to use arguments such as “democracy” and “free and fair elections”, or try to condemn “political persecution” in other countries, from now on.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is no stranger to worldwide criticism for not aligning with the globalists, has spoken out against the indictments as well. “Keep on fighting, Mr. President!” Orban published on X. “We are with you.”

While China’s Xi has not directly commented, Chinese political commentators seem to be in agreement that the US government is deliberately locking up their top political opponent. The South China Morning Post wrote an article entitled: “Trump’s indictment: the real takeaway is the US is as polarised as ever.” A professor from Renmin University of China published an op-ed titled, ”Trump’s indictment and bank collapses a poor advertisement for US democracy.” Both articles say that China is laughing at the American political system. “The generation of young people who shouted ‘Long live President Wilson’ at the end of World War I, and the idealistic generation who endorsed a ‘fight for freedom and democracy’ in Tiananmen Square in 1989, have little in common with young Chinese people today who see no upside to emulating American democracy,” he wrote.

Divided we fall. The world sees America’s weakness as we are no longer a united nation, under one. We are divisible and under the tyrannical rule of the deep state who uses a corrupt career politician with dementia as their puppet.

Sep 14 2023

North Korea backs Russia


Armstrong Economics Blog/War Re-Posted Sep 14, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

Kim Jong Un traveled to Moscow to show Russian President Vladimir Putin his support. North Korea is completely dependent on China after the hermit kingdom was shunned from global trade long ago. Russia’s support could prove vital to North Korea as reports of famine and hardship have made their way out of the secretive country.

Kim Jong Un said Russia will secure a victory over “evil” forces. “Russia is waging a sacred fight against the West,” he said, adding that North Korea will work together with Russia to “fight against imperialism.” Three generations of dictators have been focused on demolishing the West, accumulating military supplies, and militarizing the nation in preparation for an inevitable attack. The entire Korean peninsula will be up in arms if China, Russia, and North Korea begin performing military exercises together.

North Korea has nothing to lose, a dangerous enemy indeed, and needs this partnership with Russia more than Russia needs North Korea. Absolutely no one is willing to trade with the strict dictatorship, and they are wholly reliant on China. The nation only exists because it has nuclear powers that it threatens to use frequently. Russia will likely ask for military bases, equipment, and fighters. North Korea is seeking advanced Russian technology as the nation has faced numerous embarrassments after failed military tests. In particular, North Korea wishes to launch spy satellites but has failed on numerous occasions.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the details will be kept confidential. This partnership gives the West another reason to point its finger and say, “Those are the bad guys.” A grand-scale war is increasingly becoming inevitable.

Sep 7 2023

Oil Prices Surge After Saudi Arabia and Russia Announce Extended Oil Production Cuts Through End of 2023


Posted originally on the CTH on September 6, 2023 | Sundance 

Oil prices shot passed $90/bbl today after Saudi Arabia and then Russia announced a continuance of production cuts through the end of this year.

The BRICS alliance is going to deliver some pain to the Western alliance.  Those people living in the yellow zone, with leadership chasing climate change and Green New Deal policies, are going to see more durable inflation as the cost of oil is attached to just about every product and service.

Gasoline, energy products, petroleum products, home heating oil, groceries, everything will cost more as the geopolitical battle continues; but we are supposed to pretend we are unaware of the global political dynamic.

(Zero Hedge) – […] Just after 9am ET, Saudi Arabia said it would extend the voluntary cut of 1 million b/d of for another 3 months, from October until the end of December, well beyond the expectation of just 1 more month. Saudi press agency SPA notes that the voluntary cut decision will be reviewed monthly to consider deepening the cut or increasing production.

The extension of cuts is meant to reinforce the precautionary efforts made by OPEC countries with the aim of supporting the stability of the oil market. The Saudi announcement came a shock to market as 20 of 25 traders and analysts surveyed by Bloomberg last week had predicted the additional cutback would be continued for just one additional month.

And then, literally seconds after the Saudi decision, Russian deputy PM Novak said Russia would also extend its reduction of oil exports until the end of the year, reducing its oil output by 300kb/d in voluntary cuts until December 2023.

Similar to the Saudis, Russia said that the decision to reduce oil production to be reviewed monthly to consider possibility of deepening reduction or increasing production depending on situation on the world market. (read more)

“The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve is empty, my friend”… 

(Yahoo) – […] Higher oil prices are bad news for the world’s central banks, which have been trying to tame high inflation since last year. Energy is a key input for economic activities, so higher oil prices generally lead to inflation.

But Saudi Arabia and Russia’s keeping their oil supply cuts for longer means “they have no interest in what central banks are worried about,” Naeem Aslam, the chief investment officer of Zaye Capital Markets, wrote in a Tuesday note seen by Insider. (read more) 

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Aug 30 2023

Another Clue Behind Prigozhin’s Death


Armstrong Economics Blog/War Re-Posted Aug 30, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

https://youtube.com/watch?v=T-c0SyeMQuo%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Wagner boss Yevgeny Prigozhin released the following video in June on Telegram. I think it is worth revisiting this video. Prigozhin states that entering Ukraine was an invasion based on lies. He believes that the Defense Ministry was in on the cover up, potentially in cahoots with the West, and that they swindled Vladimir Putin into believing his lie.

If you read my book, “The Plot to Seize Russia,” you understand the calculated corruption of the Russian Oligarchs who hoped to use a Western alliance to regain power. Prigozhin states that false intelligence was leaked to Putin, which led him to believe Ukraine was working with NATO, which is true. However, he said that Russian intelligence reported that Ukraine and NATO were planning a direct attack on Russia, which led to the “special operation” on February 24, 2022.

“What was the point of the war? The war was needed for the self-promotion of a bunch of bastards to show off what a strong army it is so Defense Ministry Sergei Shoigu gets a Marshall,” he alleged. Sergei Shoigu has led the Ministry of the Russian Federation since November 6, 2012. Shoigu and Prigozhin have been archenemies, with Shoigu leading from behind the scenes while Prigozhin was on the frontlines with a separate mercenary group. Prigozhin firmly believed that Shoigu needed to be removed from power and believes he failed the invasion of Ukraine. Putin was in the middle of the battle, with both men being personal friends.

However, siding with Prigozhin would mean changing the entire narrative of the February 24 invasion. Declaring Shoigu unfit to lead would weaken the entire military’s image and add to the narrative that the West is decimating Russia. The entire coup by Wagner was to oust Shoigu, not Putin, as he was accused of denying the group ammunition and costing Russian lives. One man said too much, while the other was complacent with the narrative. There is a possibility that a divide within the military would have grown if both men were permitted to live.

Aug 29 2023

Russian Lives Matter


Armstrong Economics Blog/War Re-Posted Aug 29, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

The most influential aspect of Black Lives Matter is its name choice. Of course, black lives matter, but the messaging behind the movement itself was pure corruption and controlled civil unrest by the left. It was seen as racist to say that ALL lives matter because the focus was only on Black Americans. Then the police tried to use the term Blue Lives Matter, fueling the animosity.  The phrase has caught on, and a Danish director has come under fire for saying “Russian lives matter.”

Lars von Trier risks cancellation after commenting on a social media post featuring Denmark’s latest donation to Ukraine of extremely lethal F-16 fighter jets. “Russian lives matter also!” he stated on the Instagram post. He said his post was for Mr. Zelensky and Mr. Putin, and not least Mrs. Frederiksen (who yesterday, like someone head over heels in love, posed in the cockpit of one of the scariest killing machines of our time, grinning from ear to ear). “Russian lives matter also! Best regards, Lars.”

Ukrainian media outlets turned the post into a story of hatred. Oleksiy Danilov, the head of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, even weighed in on the situation: “The choice between the executioner and the victim becomes a tragedy when the artist chooses the side of the executioner. Ukraine doesn’t live in abstraction, but in a cruel reality in which Russians are murderers. A simple piece of advice for a famous director: imagine that it is a Russian missile that is flying into his city every day, that his father or mother was killed, his grandson was taken to Russia, and that a Russian looter raped his wife before burning down his house. In this case, the abstraction of hypocritical ‘humanism’ takes on completely different features – real, not fictional life.”

This is how wars are waged as the enemy must be dehumanized. As Danilov said, the reality Ukraine wants to portray is a “cruel reality in which Russians are murderers.” So every single person, old and young, in a large country is a ruthless murderer? This is akin to how the terrorist groups in Afghanistan painted all Americans as bloodthirsty killers. It is the same story repeated throughout history – villainize the enemy and cheer his last breath. Human nature is the same wherever you go. Fact: the majority of Russians simply want peace and are not Prigozhin clones plotting on Ukraine’s downfall.

“I was just stating the obvious: that all lives in this world matter! A forgotten phrase it seems, from a time when pacifism was a virtue,” the filmmaker replied, later mentioning he had no idea the trouble his comments would cause. But sure, cheer the image of the F-16 jet designed for mass murder of fellow human beings.

Aug 2 2023

The Russia-Africa Summit


Armstrong Economics Blog/World Trade Re-Posted Aug 2, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

https://youtube.com/watch?v=67uohQkVZdM%3Ffeature%3Doembed

Putin invited numerous African leaders to St. Petersburg, where they discussed strengthening their alliance. The Russia-Africa summit gave Moscow a platform to show that it has not been isolated by all its allies. The biggest bargaining chip on the table was reimplementing of the grain deal. The UN has all but promised food shortages and famine in Africa caused by the war. Putin has now promised to begin shipping 25,000 to 50,000 tons of grain, free of charge, over the next three or four months.

Only 17 of 54 African leaders attended the conference, compared to the 43 who attended in 2019. The West is touting this as a win, but Moscow said many are afraid to enter the conflict. African nations simply want their people to prosper. Despite having valuable national resources, the continent is deeply indebted to the world. Russia agreed to cancel $23 billion in debt to African nations and hinted that their allies (i.e., India and China) may also offer aid.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “We are not here to plead for donations for the African continent.” Instead, they are looking to become a respected trading partner. President of Chad Mahamat called out Russia for failing to improve trade. “Putin vowed to double Russia’s trade with the continent within five years. Instead, it has stalled at around $18 billion a year,” he stated. African nations want a seat at the table, shedding its colonist past that still indebts their people.

Putin has promised that the grain harvest will exceed expectations this year. African countries have a large bargaining chip here. The West provides Africa with more aid than Russia, but at what cost? Africa receives the vast majority of its grain directly from Russia and would certainly face food shortages without their help. Putin will need to offer African nations an opportunity to become a valued trading partner and get his other main global allies on board with the idea too.

Jul 17 2023

Prigozhin: “I Went Crazy”


Armstrong Economics Blog/War Re-Posted Jul 17, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

Wagner leader Yevgeny Prigozhin has offered an explanation for the attempted coup—“I went crazy.” An article by Proekt says Yevgeny Prigozhin was at St. Petersburg’s Konstantinovsky Palace in 2011 when then-prime minister Putin announced plans for the presidency. “Great hairstyle,” the Russian leader said, pointing to Prigozhin’s bald head. The two were friendly and Prigozhin has supported Putin throughout his career. Prigozhin began his career under the guise of a hot dog salesman at a car dealership before he became the feared mercenary leader. Imagine asking this man for ketchup or mustard?

Soviet army officer Andrey Bakonin came to the car dealership in 1991, where he met the future Wagner leader. He was always involved in “other” activities and hustled where he could. “Prigozhin is a tough guy,” recalls a reputable St. Petersburg businessman who personally knew many of the heroes of the 90s in St. Petersburg. “Besides, he is Jewish, which may have played a role in the fact that Mirilashvili and Spektor (prominent members of the Jewish community in St. Petersburg) hired him.” He made important connections on the ground and opened a restaurant that attracted the elite, funded by Mirilashvili. When Putin became president, he arranged a number of meetings at the restaurant. The likes of President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori ate at the establishment.

He allegedly had staff eavesdrop on important meetings held at his restaurant and reported back to the man in power. Prigozhin’s associates say he has always been prone to violence. They alleged he hired a man called the “Teacher” who would brutally beat his staff, who often doubled as spies. He had a keen interest in war and reportedly sat over huge world maps, outlining where friends and foes resided. Wagner PMC first began around 2014 as a detachment from Lieutenant Colonel Dmitry Utkin’s command. He was fighting for Putin. PMC became involved in fights in Syria and Africa and took it extremely personally. He contracted cancer at one point and is said to be hyper-conscious of his health. He has quite an interesting story.

But what this all entails is an apology to Putin. Claiming he had a psychological break paints Putin as the strong leader, while Prigozhin remains the unstable grunt with no intentions of taking over Russia. Some outlets state that his medical history caused him to act erratically. His associates are using every excuse to explain why he staged a coup and dared to oppose Putin. Wagner has begun to hand over weapons to Russia. Is Prigozhin in exile in Belarus or back in Russia? Is he alive? Many do not believe he actually met with Putin after the event on June 23. No one is quite sure, but his plea of insanity is a final attempt to ask for forgiveness and tell the world that he is subservient to the Russian government.

Jul 12 2023

BRICS & The Gold Backed Currency Idea


Armstrong Economics Blog/Gold Re-Posted Jul 12, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

QUESTION: Marty,

Will the Brics launching a gold backed currency be the catalist for bankrupting 3rd world economies? Or is it rising interest rates on their debt?

Tks for all the light u share in a confusing economic landscape.

Cbeers
.baldy

ANSWER: It is unlikely that we are looking at a BRICS single currency like the euro, for that would require a central monetary authority, surrender of sovereignty as in Brussels, end any possibility of QE, etc. We would need to completely collapse the idea of Keynesian Economics insofar as it has evolved, allowing deficit spending.

There is no special magic to gold. It was first restricted to only kings, for it was considered to be the tears from the sun god. As more gold was discovered, it began to be used for the jewelry of wealthy aristocrats. Then it became used as money in its natural form, known as electrum, a natural alloy of gold mixed with silver.

Then they refined the gold electrum and created the first bimetallic coinage around 560 BC. This required a sufficient supply of gold to create a money supply. As the quantity increased, the value of gold declined relative to both silver as well as commodities in general – inflation.

The real argument behind gold as a backing is that its quantity is limited. However, over the centuries, the silver/gold ratio has fluctuated anywhere from 8:1 to 120:1. From this perspective, the real objective here is to prevent the government from creating money at will. Thanks to Keynesian Economics, governments have the power to create money at will, allowing them to retain power and exert it in their endless wars thanks to the Neocons.

The real objective here with the issue of BRICS is that both Russian and China object to the dollar being the reserve currency in the middle of geopolitical tension. Yet the Biden Administration has undermined everything by removing Russia from SWIFT. That set in motion the collapse of globalization, and it has shown to the world that the US now controls the SWIFT system, which renders it no longer politically neutral.

This is where the IMF is trying to desperately move in for the kill to replace the dollar with their electronic digital currency. This is really no better because the IMF will also play political games. Strauss-Kahn was appointed managing director of the IMF on September 28, 2007, with the backing of then–President of France Nicolas Sarkozy. He was set up, and in New York, they came up with a maid in a hotel who claimed he tried to rape her. They wanted to remove him became he was independent. He served in that capacity until he was forced to resign on May 18, 2011. All the charges were later dismissed for the lack of any credibility. Yet, his replacement was Obama’s friend Christine Legard, a board member of the economic terrorist organization, the World Economic Forum. She was installed in the IMF and immediately threatened all the tax havens to turn over all their secret accounts so they would be removed from SWIFT. She also threatened the Vatican.

We are clearly staring into the eyes of a major global sovereign debt default. This is also why they are pushing for war. They plan on holding another Bretton Woods II, and the IMF will make its pitch to rule the world. This is all part of the scheme for this one-world government.